Controlling apparatus for automatic pianos and the like.



BEST AV COPY J. SGHWERTNER. CONTROLLING APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATIC PIANOSAND. THE LIKE.

' APPLICATION FILED APR. 29, 1911. 1,060,031 Patented Apr. 29, 1913.

4 SHEETS-SHEET l.

i i/ muses COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH 60., wAsamu'rou, D. c.

J. SGHWERTNBR. I CONTROLLING APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATIC PIANOS AND THELIKE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 29, 1911.

1 ,060, 03 1 Patented Apr. 29, 1913.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co.. WASHINGTON, D. c.

J. SGHWERTNBR. CONTROLLING APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATIC PIANOS AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 29, 1911.

Y Patented Apr. 29, 1913.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

COLUMBIA PLANDGRAPH 110., WASHINGTON, Dv c.

"J. SGHWERTNER.

CONTROLLING APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATIC PIANOS AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 29, 1911.

1,060,031. A Patented Apr. 29, 1913.

4 SHEETSSHEET-4.

g MAM CQLUMIM PLANOGIIAPH C0" WASHINGTON, D- C.

verse vertical section.

UNITED STATES PATENT ormon.

JOSEPH SCHWERTNER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT AND MESNEASSIGNMENTS, TO HEE-RWAGEN COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

CONTROLLING APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATIC PIANOS AND THE LIKE.

To all whom, it may concern Be it known that I, JOSEPH SCHWERTNER, acitizen of the United States, and a resident of New York, county of NewYork, and State of New York, have invented certain. new and usefulImprovements in Controlling Apparatus for Automatic Pianos and the Like,of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in controlling apparatus forautomatic pianos, organs and the like.

One object of my invention is to so arrange the parts of the variousmanual control devices, that they will cooperate with one another in amanner so that they may be more readily and conveniently controlled oroperated by the hand of the operator.

A further object of my invention is to combine with the above, tworelatively movable carriages for selecting various notes on theinstrument, to be accent-ed.

Further objects, features and advantages will more clearly appear in thedetailed description given below, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of the parts of animproved arrangement embodying my invention in one form. Fig. 2 is afront elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the same.

Fig. 4: is an end elevation of the same looking at the opposite end.Fig. 5 is a trans- Fig. 6 is a detail showing certain parts inlongitudinal vertical section.

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents suitable frame work forsupporting the various parts of the apparatus; 2 represents two roundrods fixed to the frame work shown, which rods serve as tracks or guideways for the movable carriages 3 3. The two movable carriages 3 3 areslidably mounted upon the rods 2 2 so that they are both movable andmovable with respect to one another, both sliding in the same horizontalplane upon the rods 2 2; 4, l, represent a bank of valves adapted toopen and close connection between wind ducts 5 and 6, there being a windduct 5 and 6 for each valve. (See Fig. 5.) The valves 4 are normallyheld closed by springs 7, and each valve 4: is provided with a rigidwire 8, extending from the front thereof.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 29, 1911.

Patented Apr. 29,1913.

Serial No. 624,038.

9 9, &c., represent alternate members of a bank of lever members. Theselever members 9 9, &c., are formed of pieces of wire bent, as shown inFigs. 1 and 5. These lever members 9 are fulcrumed by passing throughsuitable holes orapertures in a fulcrum member 10.

Upon rocking the lever members 9 the upper arms thereof, engage the wireextenslons 8 to lift the same, thus lifting the valve 4-, in order toput the ducts 5 and 6 into pneumatic communication with one another. Ina similar manner a lower bank of wind ducts 11 and 12, are provided withvalves 13 for opening or closing communication therebetween. The valves13 are pro vided with springs 14- for normally closing the same, andwith wire extensions 15, extending from the front thereof. Engaging theunderneath side of the wire extensions 15, are the downwardly extendingends of wire lever members 16. The wire lever members 16 are alsofulcrumed in the support 10, in the same horizontal plane in which thelever members 9 are fulcrumed, and alternately therewith. The outer orforward arms of the lever members 9 and 16 lie in the same normal plane,and are of the same shape. With respect to the inner or rear arms ofthese wire lever members, however, the inner ends of the members 16extend downwardly, while the inner ends of the members 9 extendupwardly, so that each may engage its respective bank of valves. Uponrocking the lever members 16, by throwing their front arms upwardly, theinner arms are thrown upwardly, thus raising the extensions 15, andaccordingly raising the valves 13, and placing the ducts 11 and 12 intopneumatic communication with one another.

The wind ducts 5, 6, 11 and 12 lead to suitable devices whereby, forinstance, when the wind duct 5 is coupled with the wind duct 6, a notecorresponding thereto will be accented. In a similar manner, when thewind duct 11 is coupled with the wind duct 12, a

note corresponding thereto willbe accented. Thus there is provided avalve 4, or 13, corresponding to each note or each predetermined numberof notes of the instrument, and any suitable means may be provided forcausing any note or set of notes to be accented merely by raising thecorresponding valve closure 4: or 16,as the case may be.

However, I prefer to use an apparatus such as is specified in one of myformer applications, Serial No. 535,585, or Serial Number 614,593.

Journaled in the lefthand carriage 3, is,

portion 21, which upright portion has se- I cured thereto, arms and 23.(See Fig. 6.) The arm 22 carries a cam 24, the face of which is arrangedto engage the forward arms of the wire lever members 9, 16, &c., for thepurpose of raising the same, to raise the corresponding valve closures 4and 13. Thus if the left hand carriage 3 (right hand carriage in Fig. 6)is moved to the right in Fig. 6, it will raise the inner arms of thewire lever members 9, 16, &c., to open the corresponding valves 4, 13,&c. Also fulcrumed in the support 10, and directly below the levermembers 9, 16, &.c., is a set of lever 01'- locking members 25, providedwith upwardly extending portions 26 (see Figs. 5 and 6). lVhen the wirelocking members 25 are rocked, the inner arms 26 are arranged to comeunderneath the inner arms of the wire lever members 9, 16, &c. (See Fig.1.) This action takes place because as the inner arms of the wire levermembers 9, 16, &c., are raised above the tops of the arms 26, theforward ends of the lever members 25 drop by gravity, thus swinging thetops of the arms 26 below the inner ends of the arms- 9, 16, &c., so asto hold the latter up, or lock them in their upper position, so as tolock the corresponding valves 4, 13, &c., in open position.

)Vhen (in Fig. 6) the right hand carriage 3 is moved to the left, thecam face 24 passes beneath the front arms of the levers 9, 16, &c., andraises them, if they were not before raised, and held in lockedposition, as just described. However, in the movement of the carriage 3to the left (as in Fig. 6), a cam 27 secured to the arm 23 raises theforward arms of the levers 25'. The cam 27 is placed just behind the cam24, so that as the cam 24 leaves a certain lever member 9 or 16, the cam27' will immediately afterward, raise the corresponding lever member 25,to unlock the same, thus allowing the corresponding lever member 9 or16, to drop to its original position, thereby closing the correspondingvalve 4 or 16. However, when the carriage 3 is moved to the right (inFig. 6), the unlocking cam 27 engages the members 25before theoperatingcam 24 engages the corresponding members 9, 16, &c. Therefore, when thecarriage 3 is moved to the right, in Fig. 6, it will raise the valves 4,13, &c., and these will be locked in open position by the action of thelocking levers 25, and 26. WVhen moving in this direction the cam 27does not act to unlock, since it acts ahead of the cam 24, and in thatposition has nothing to unlock. In a similar manner the right handcarriage 3 (in Fig.

1) has journaled therein, a rocking shaft 28,

provided on its forward end with a rigid handle 29, which cotiperateswith a handle 30, fixed to the carriage 3.- Secured to the inner end ofthe shaft 28 is a member 31, similar to the member20, which member 31has an upwardly extending arm 32, as is more clearly shown in Figs. 5and 6.

The arm 32 has secured thereto a horizontal arm 33, corresponding to thearm 22, which arm 33 carries at its end a cam 34 having a cam face whichacts the same as the cam 24 upon the wire lever members 9, 16 &c. Thearm 32 also carries the arm 35, which has secured to its end a cam face36 designed to act upon the locking and unlocking lever members 25, tounlock the lever members 9, 16 &c., when it is moved to the left (inFig. 6). Springs 37 normally act upon the members 20 and 31, so as tohold the various cams 24., 34, 27 and 36, in their uppermost positions.This movement is limited by arms 38 and 39 on the members 20 and 21respectively, engaging stops 40 and 41, respectively. lVhen it isdesired to move the carriages 3 3 one direction or the other, withoutraising any of the valves, 4, 13, &c., it is only necessary to rock theshafts 17 and 28, by moving the handles 18 and 29, thereby rocking themembers 20 and 31 in a direction to move the cam faces 24, 34, 27 and 36downwardly so that they no longer engage the forward arms of the wirelever members 9, 16, &c., and 25, in their horizontal sl1d1ng movement.

Loosely mounted upon the shaft 17 at its inner end, 1s a rocking member42. One end i of the rocking member 42 is engaged by one end of abell-crank lever 43, pivoted at 44,

' the other end of the bell-crank lever carrysponding wire lever member9, or 16, as the ing a cam. face at 45, engaged by the arm 38. The otherend of the lever 42 carries a cam face 46, as clearly shown in Fig; 6,so that when the rocking shaft 17 is rocked by movement of the handle18, the cams 24 and 27 move downwardly while the arm 38 moves upwardly.The upward movement of the arm 38 causes it, by engagement with the camface 45, to rock the bell-crank lever 43, which in turn rocks the lever42 about the shaft 17. This causes an upward movement of the cam face46, so that it will engage one of the wire lever members 25, directlyabove, in order to unlock the correcase may be, if such happens to be ina locked position. In a similar manner there is j ournaled about theshaft 28, a lever member 47, one end of which is engaged by a bell-cranklever 48, pivoted at 49, the bellcrank lever carrying a cam face at 50,engaged by the end of the arm 39. The other end of the lever 47 carriesa cam face similar to 46, which operates in substantially the samemanner. It will thus be seen that when the handles 18 and 29 are intheir normal position, and the carriages 3 3 are separated, all valves4, 13, 85c, corresponding to wire lever members 9, 16, &c., between thecams 24c and 3-1, will be opened and locked open, by means of thelocking members 25 and 26, falling by gravity beneath. If, however, thecarriages 3 3 are moved toward one another, the cams 27 and 36 willengage the lever members 25, to unlock the lever members 9,16, &c., asthey move by the same. In this manner any note or set of notescorresponding to lever members, between the cams of the carriages 3 3may be accented, as desired. If, however, it is desired to move thecarriages without opening the valves 1, 13, &c., it is only necessary tomove the handles 18 and 29, when the carriages may be moved without inany manner affecting the lever members 9, 16, &c., and the valves 14,13, &c. If it is desired to accent one note at some distance from themain body or set of notes being accented, either one of the carriagesmay be used for this purpose. To do this it is only necessary to takeone carriage, say the right hand carriage in Fig. 1, and move the levermember 29, so that the carriage can be moved to the right (or left)without affecting the accenting valves. lVhen the proper note isreached, the handle 29 is allowed to assume its normal position by meansof spring 37, when the cam 24 will engage the proper lever member 9, or16, as the case may be, to operate the corresponding accenting valve.*Vhen it is again desired to close this corresponding accenting valve,it is only neces sary to press the handle 29, when the cam 24; iswithdrawn. This, however, does not unlock the corresponding member 9 or16, which has just been operated, but in pressing the handle 29 androcking the shaft 28, to withdraw the cam 24, the cam 46 is raised,which engages the corresponding locking lever 25, and raises its forwardarm so as to unlock the corresponding lever 9 or 16. The left handcarriage 3 (in Fig. 1), may be moved and operated in a similar manner toaccent a note, as desired. Thus either of the carriages may be movedwithout affect-- ing any of the accenting valves, and may pick out anyone of the accented valves at any portion of the instrument, to operatethe same, and then as soon as desired, release the same, when thecarriage may be moved back to its original position where it may controlthe accenting of other notes or sets of notes.

For the purpose of indicating the notes accented, each carriage 3 isprovided with an upright post 51, which is hollow, and in the upper endof which is adjustably inserted a pointer 52, which indicates on thetracker sheet, the notes being accented. The upright members 51 aresecured to base pieces 53 by means of set screws 54, and the base pieces53 are adjustably mounted upon the carriages 3 3, by means of screws 55.p

In order that the tempo of the apparatus may be conveniently and readilyregulated by the hand of the operator, and especially by the right handof the operator, which operates the right hand carriage in Fig. 1, Isecure to the right hand carriage 3, in Fig. 1, a scale 56. Pivotallymounted on the right hand carriage 3, in Fig. 1, at 57, is a movable arm58 carrying a pointer 59, which coiiperates with the scale 56, toindicate the tempo at which the instrument operates. The member 58 isrigidly secured to its pivot pin 57, by means of, a screw 60, and belowthe carriage 3, the pivot pin 57 has rigidly secured thereto, an arm61'. The arm 61 is pivoted to an arm 62, at 63. Pivotally connected tothe right hand carriage 3, at 64, is a link 65, and the other end of thelink 65 is pivotally connected to the member 62, at 66. At itsinnermostend the arm or member 62 has downward projections 67, forming aforked member which slidably engages a rod 68. The rod 68 is carried ateither end by two arms 69, which are pivotally mounted to the frame at70. The rod 68 is connected in any suitable manner to operate anysuitable and well-known tempo regulating mechanism. Since suchmechanisms are well known by those skilled in the art, it is unnecessaryto give a further description of them. One of the fingers of therighthand of the operator is inserted in the finger piece 58 to move thetempo arm 58. It will therefore be seen that by moving the tempoindicating arm 58 over the scale 56, the arm 61 which is rigid with thearm 58, moves correspondingly andthis in turn moves the arm 62, which inturn, by engagement of its forked member with the rod 68, moves the rod68, to adjust the tempo of the instrument as desired. However, thecarriages 3 3, and especially the right hand carriage 3, in Fig. 1, maybe moved as much as desired, but such movement being constrained to ahorizontal sliding movement, does not in any way .affect or move the rod68, but the rod 68 is only moved by a movement of the tempo indicatorand regulator 58.

In order that suitable and convenient means may be provided for varyingthe volume of the notes accented or the strength of the accompanimentnotes, I provide on the right hand carriage 3, in Fig. 1, a series ofpress buttons 71, 72 and 73. The press buttons 71, 72 and 73, each haverods extending through the carriage 3, and have bent-over engagingmembers 74', 75 and 76, secured on their bottoms. These bent-overengaging members 74, 75 and 76, engage rods 77, 78 and 79, respectively,and slide horizontally 011 said rods, which rods are pivotally mountedin the frame, so as to act as lever members.

Referring to Fig. 1, there is secured to the left hand end of the rod77, 78 and 79, valve closures 80, 81 and 82, which when normally presseddownward by springs 83, close wind ducts thereunder in the blocks 84.Thus by pressing down the push button 71, at any position of thecarriage 3, the valve closure 80 is raised and this may be made tooperate to throw, say, the highest pressure or suction desired, into theoperating pneumatics of the instrument. This may be accomplished in anywell-known manner. And furthermore, the throwing on of such highpressure may be limited to those particular notes which it is desired toaccent. In a similar manner, by pushing down the button 72, the valveclosure 81 may be raised to throw a medium pressure or suction into theoperating pneumatics, corresponding to the notes to be accented, and ifbutton 73 is pushed, valve closure 82 may be raised to cause arelatively low wind pressure or suction to be thrown into the operatingpneumatics of notes to be accented. In order that any one of the valveclosures 80, 81 or 82, may be automatically closed when any other one isopened, the rods 77, 78 and 79, are provided on the other ends thereof,and rigidly secured thereto, with arms 85, 86 and 87 respectively. Thesearms 85, 80 and 87 are provided on their upper ends, with cam faceswhich engage cooperating cam faces on the under side of a member 88,pivotally mounted at 89, and normally forced downward by a spring 90(see especially Fig. 4). Therefore, when the button 71 is. presseddownwardly it carries down with it the front arm of the wire levermember 77, at the same time rocking forward the arm 85. )Vhen the armpasses beyond the projection 91, it becomes locked therebehind, therebylocking the valve closure 80 in its uppermost or open position. Now ifit is desired to throw on a different pressure, say medium pressure,into the notes accented, the button 72 is pressed, thereby rocking themember 86, which not only passes beyond the locking projection 92, butalso engages the cam face 93, thereby raising the arm 88 sufficient toallow the arm 85 to pass beneath the projection 91, and return to itsnormal position under the action of its spring 83. In a similar manner,if it is desired to throw on a low pressure, the button 73 is pushed,thereby rocking the arm 87 until it engages the cam face 94, when itwill push the arm 85 farther upward sufficient to release either of thearms 85 or 86, which may have been locked behind the projections 91 or92.

From the above it will be apparent that when any one pressure is throwninto operation any previous pressure which has been in operation will bediscontinued automatically. By the above, one may provide as manypressures as desired, and yet each pressure will be discontinued uponthe throwing in of a different pressure. In a similar manner the lefthand carriage 3, in Fig. 1, is provided with three push buttons 95, 96and 97, which in a similar manner, operates upon lever rods 98, 99 and100. The left hand end of the lever rods 98, 99 and 100, all carry attheir right hand ends (in Fig. 1), valve closures 101, 102 and 103,which operate in the same manner as the valve closures 80, 81 and 82,except that they operate to throw varying pressures in the operatingpneumatics, which play the accompaniment notes on the instrument.Therefore, by means of the buttons 95, 96 and 97 any one of three,different pressures may be thrown into the operating pneumatics of. theaccompaniment notes so that the strength or volume of the accompanimentmay be varied as desired. The rods 98, 99 and 100, have secured to theirother ends members 104, 105 and 106, which cooperate with camfaces in apivotally mounted cam member 107 (see Fig. 1), which cam member operatessimilar to the member 88.

In order to operate the loud and soft pedals of the instrument, in aconvenient manner, I provide, journaled in the right hand carriage 3, inFig. 1, a rocking member 108. At its front end the rocking member 108carries a flat portion off center, so that a suitable lever arm 109 isprovided, whereby the thumb of the operator may engage the same to pushit downwardly. At its other end the rod 108 carries a lever arm 110which engages a wire lever member 111, at any point thereupon. The wirelever member 111 is suitably journaled in the frame, and carries at itsend, in Fig. 1, an arm 112 which carries at its end a valve closure 115,normally held downward by means of a spring 114. The valve closure 113is adapted to normally close a wind passage, upon the opening of whichany suitable apparatus may be set in motion, to actuate the loud pedalmechanism of the instrument. The wire lever member 111 is soconstructed, as will be apparent from Fig. 1, that the right handcarriage 3 may slide to any position, and yet upon pressing downward thearm 109, the arm 110 will likewise be pressed downward, and will engagethe lever member 111, pushing its forward arm downwardly, therebyraising the valve clo sure 113, to throw into operation the loud pedalmechanism. In a similar manner there is journaled on the left handcarriage 3, in Fig. 1, a rocking rod 115, which carries at its forwardend a flat portion 116, acting as one arm of a lever. At its other endthe rod 115 carries an arm 117 adapted to engage the forward arm of awire lever memher 118, which is journaled in the main frame, and carriesat one of its ends, an arm 119, which carries at its end a valve closure120, normally held down by a spring 121. Therefore, upon pushingdownwardly upon the flat portion of the arm 116, the arm 117 is likewiseforced downwardly, and in whatever position the left hand carriage 8 maybe, this action will force downwardly the front arm of the wire levermember 118, thereby raising the valve closure 120, which throws intoaction the soft pedal mechanism in any well'known manner.

From the above it will appear that one important feature of my inventionis the provision of two relatively movable carriages or members whichselect the notes to be accented. In using such an apparatus which isadapted to select any note or set of notes, or especially a plurality ofsets of notes to be accented, at will, it must be seen that it may bemost desirable to keep the carriages 3 3 in continual movement. This allthe more so, in connection with carriages which select notes to beaccented, since these notes are continually changing, while if thecarriages only varied the expression by changing the volume of sound,their activity would not need to be so great. Therefore with suchcarriages which select the notes to be accented it is especiallyimportant that means be provided upon these carriages, for controllingall of the other functions of the instrument, which are desirable to becontrolled manually. It will therefore be seen that by providing a temporegulator 56, 58 and 59, so that it is carried by one of thesecarriages, and by providing the buttons 71, 72 and 73, 95, 96 and 97,and the members 109 and 116, not only may the tempo be controlled by thehands of the operator without taking them off of the movable accentcontrolling carriages, but also the expression or volume, or strength ofthe accented notes, and independently of the accompaniment notes, may bevaried as desired, without removing the hands from the carriages, andalso the loud and soft pedal movement may be similarly controlledwithout removing the hand from the carriages, so that the carriages maybe kept in continual motion, while any one or more of the other devicescarried thereby are operated simultaneously.

Although I have described my improvements in great detail, and withrespect to one particular embodiment of my invention, I do not desire tobe limited by such details, except as clearly pointed out in theappended claims, since many changes and modifications may well be madewithout departing from the spirit and scope of my invention in itsbroadest aspects.

However, having fully and clearly described my invention, what I claimas new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In an automatic piano with its loud and soft pedals, two memberssliding inde-' pendently of one another, means whereby the movement ofsaid members may select various notes to be accented, a third memberpivotally mounted to one of said first mentioned members, means wherebymovement of the third member about its pivot regulates the tempo of theapparatus, hand operated means carried by one of said first mentionedmembers for varying the degree of accenting, hand operated means carriedby the other of said first two mentioned members for varying thestrength of the accompaniment, means carried by one of said firstmentioned two members for controlling the actuating of the loud pedalmechanism, and means carried by the other of said first two mentionedmembers for controlling the actuating of the soft pedal mechanism.

2. In an automatic piano with its loud and soft pedals, two memberssliding independently of one another, means whereby the movement of saidmembers may select various notes to be accented, hand operated meanscarried by one of said first mentioned members for varying the degree ofaccenting, hand operated means carried by the other of said first twomentioned members for varying the strength of the accompaniment, meanscarried by one of said first mentioned two members for cont-rolling theactuating of the loud pedal mechanism, and means carried by the other ofsaid first two mentioned members for controlling the actuating of thesoft pedal mechanism.

3. In an automatic piano with its loud and soft pedals, two memberssliding in dependently of one another, means whereby the movement ofsaid members may select various notes to be accented, a third memberpivotally mounted to one of said first mentioned members, means wherebymovement of the third member about its pivot regulates the tempo of theapparatus, means carried by one of said first mentioned two members forcontrolling the actuating of the loud pedal mechanism and means carriedby the other of said first two mentioned mem bers for controlling theactuating of the soft pedal mechanism.

4. In a control apparatus for automatic pianos, organs and the like,provided with a tempo regulating means, two movably mounted carriagesmovable relatively to one another, means whereby the movement of saidcarriages selects notes to be accented, a member mounted on one of saidcarriages and movable with respect thereto, and means whereby movementof said movable member with respect to its carriage, regulates the tempoof the instrument.

5. In a control apparatus for automatic pianos, organs and the likeprovided with tempo regulating means, a hand operated slidably mountedcarriage, a hand operated member carried by said carriage and movablerelatively to the carriage, and means whereby movement of said lastmentioned member with respect to the carriage regulates the tempo of theinstrument, and whereby the carriage and member as a whole may be movedWithout changing the tempo of the instrument.

6. In a control apparatus for automatic pianos, organs and the likeprovided with a tempo regulating means, two movably mounted carriagesmovable relatively to one another, means whereby the movement of saidcarriages selects notes to be accented, a member mounted on one of saidcarriages and movable with respect thereto, and means whereby movementof said movable member with respect to its carriage regulates the tempoof the piano or the like, and a scale carried by said carriagecooperating with said movable member to indicate the tempo.

7 In an apparatus of the class described, two carriages mounted to slidesubstantially horizontally, means whereby said carriages may be moved toselect notes to be accented, a member pivotally mounted on one of saidcarriages, means whereby said last mentioned member may be operated toregulate the tempo of the apparatus, a scale carried by said lastmentioned carriage and cooperating with said movable member, and apointer carried by each carriage for indicating the notes accented.

8. In a control apparatus for automatic pianos, and the like, twomovably mounted carriages movable with respect to one an other, meanswhereby the movement of said carriages selects notes to be accented, andmeans carried by one of said carriages for controlling the strength ofthe accompaniment of the piano or the like.

9. In a control apparatus for automatic pianos and the like, two movablymounted carriages movable with respect to one another, means whereby themovement of said. carriages selects notes to be accented, and meanscarried by one of said carriages for controlling the strength of theaccented notes of the piano or the like.

10. In a control apparatus for automatic pianos and the like, twomovably mounted carriages movable with respect to one another, meanswhereby the movement of said carriages selects notes to be accented, and

carriages selects notes to be accented, and

hand operated means carried by said carriages for regulating thestrength of the accompaniment and accented notes of the piano or thelike.

12. In a control apparatus for automatic pianos and the like, twomovably mounted carriages movable with respect to one another, meanswhereby the movement of said carriages selects notes to be accented, aplurality of hand operated members carried by one carriage, meanswhereby the operation of each of said members may cause the accentednotes to be sounded with a different strength, a plurality of handoperated members carried by the other carriage, and means whereby theoperation of each of said last mentioned members may cause theaccompaniment notes to be sounded with a different strength.

13. In a control apparatus for automatic pianos and the like, with softand loud pedal mechanism, two movable carriages movably mounted withrespect to one another, means whereby the movement of said carriagesselects notes to be accented, hand operated means carried by one of saidcarriages for controlling the loud pedal mechanism, and hand operatedmeans carried by the other carriage for cont-rolling the soft pedalmechanism.

14:. In a control apparatus for automatic pianos and the like, with loudpedal mechanism, two movably mounted carriages movable with respect toone another, means whereby the movement of said carriages selects notesto be accented, and hand operated means carried by one of said carriagesfor controlling the loud pedal mechanism.

15. In a control apparatus for automatic pianos and the like, with softpedal mechanism, two movably mounted carriages movable with respect toone another, means whereby the movement of said carriages selects notesto be accented, and hand operated means carried by one of said carriagesfor controlling the soft pedal mechanism.

16. In a control apparatus for automatic pianos and the like, meansincluding a hand operated movably mounted member for selecting notes tobe accented, and a hand operated tempo regulator carried by said movablemember and thereby movable as awhole without changing the tempo of theinstrument.

17 In a control apparatus for automatic pianos and the like, a handoperated movably mounted carriage for selecting notes to be accented, amember pivotally mounted on said movable carriage for controlling thetempo ofthe piano or the like, and a scale carried by said carriage andcooperating with said pivotally mounted member to indicate tempo.

18. In a control apparatus for automatic pianos and the like, a handoperated movable carriage for selecting notes to be accented, a membermounted on said movable carriage, for controlling the tempo of the pianoor the like, and a scale carried by said carriage and cooperating withsaid member to indicate tempo.

19. In a control apparatus for automatic pianos and the like, a handoperated movable carriage for selecting notes to be accented, and meanscarried thereby for controlling the relative volume of sound betweennotes accented and those not accented.

20. In a control apparatus for automatic pianos and the like, a handoperated movable carriage for selecting notes to be accented, and meanscarried thereby for controlling the relative volume of sound betweennotes accented and those not accented, said means comprising a pluralityof movable members on said carriage independent of one another.

21. In a control apparatus for automatic pianos and the like, a handoperated movable carriage for selecting notes to be accented, soft pedalmechanism and loud pedal mechanism for the apparatus; and hand operatedmeans carried by said carriage for controlling one of said mechanisms-22. In a control apparatus for automatic pianos and the like, soft andloud pedal mechanisms, a hand operated movably mounted carriage, a tempocontrol regulator carried by said carriage, and hand operated meanscarried by said carriage for controlling one of said mechanisms.

23. In a control apparatus for automatic pianos and the like, a handoperated movably mounted carriage, a member mounted on said movablecarriage for controlling the tempo of the piano or the like, and a scalecarried by said carriage and cooperating with said member to indicatetempo, and hand operated means carried by said carria e for controllingthe volume of sound of certain notes played.

24. In a control apparatus for automatic pianos and the like, means forselecting at will notes to be accented, said means embracing two movablymounted hand operated carriages movable with respect to each other, andmeans for varying the degree of accenting, said last mentioned meansembracing a plurality of movable members ad jacent said carriages sothat all of said members and carriages may be conveniently controlled bythe hands of the operator.

25. In a control apparatus for automatic pianos and the like, means forselecting at will notes to be accented, said means embracing two movablymounted hand operated carriages movable with respect to each other, andmeans for varying the degree of accenting, said last mentioned meansembracing controlling means carried on one of said carriages wherebysaid controlling means and carriages may be conveniently controlled bythe hands of the operator.

26. In a ntrol apparatus for automatic. pianos and the like, means forselecting at will notes to be accented, said means embracing two movablymounted hand operated carriages movable with respect to each other, andloud and soft pedal mechanisms, and hand operated members adjacent saidcarriages for controlling said mechanisms, so that all of said carriagesand mechanisms may be conveniently operated by the hand of the operator.

27. In a control apparatus for automatic pianos and the like, means forselecting at will, notes to be accented, said means including twoindependently movably mounted members, each movable in a substantiallyhorizontal line, and means for controlling the degree of accenting, saidlast mentioned means including a plurality of substantially horizontalrods movable up and down adjacent said movable members.

28. In a control apparatus for automatic pianos and the like, means forselecting at will, notes to be accented, said means including twoindependently movably mounted members, and means for controlling thedegree of accenting, said last mentioned means including a plurality ofsubstantially horizontal rods movable adjacent said movable members.

29. In a musical instrument, means for controlling the amount ofaccenting of various notes, said means including a plurality of handoperated members arranged horizontally, one for each degree of accentingand two hand operated horizontally movably mounted members adjacent saidfirst mentioned members for selecting the notes to be accented.

30. In a control apparatus for automati pianos and the like providedwith a tempo regulating means, a suitable frame work in front of theoperator, a carriage slidably mounted on said frame and slidablesubstantially horizontally in front of the operator, a member carried bysaid carriage and movable with respect thereto, and means wherebymovement of said member with respect to said carriage, regulates thetempo of the instrument.

81. In a musical instrument, means for controlling the degree ofaccenting of various notes, said means embracing three hand operatedmembers, one for each degree of accenting, and two hand operatedrelatively movable members for selecting the notes to be accented,saidlast mentioned members being adjacent said first mentioned membersso that all of said members may be conveniently controlled by the handsof the operator.

32. In a musical instrument, means for controlling the degree ofaccenting of various notes, said means embracing a plurality of handoperated members, one for each degree of accenting, and a hand operatedmovably mounted member for selecting the notes to be accented, said lastmentioned member being adjacent said first mentioned members so that allof said members may be conveniently controlled by the hands of theoperator.

33. In a musical instrument, means for selecting notes to be accented,said means embracing a hand operated movable member, means for varyingthe degree of accentuation of the notes accented, said controlling meansembracing a plurality of hand operated members, one for each degree ofaccentuation, and means varying the degree of volume of the notes notaccented, said last mentioned means embracing a plurality of handoperated members, one for each degree of volume, said hand operatedmembers being arranged adjacentone another so that they may all beconveniently controlled by the hands of the operator.

84. In a musical instrument, means for selecting notes to be accented,said means embracing two hand operated relatively movable members, meansfor varying the,

means controlling tempo, expression and note accentuation, respectively,two of said means being carried on the movable portion of the third andregulated by movements With respect to the third and inclependent of themovement of the third.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, inthe presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

JOSEPH SGHWERTNER. WVitnesses:

GoRI-mM OnosBY, EDWIN SEGER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

